12 Ways to Make an Outfit Look More Expensive

Contrary to popular belief, the clothes themselves are not necessarily what makes an outfit look cheap or expensive… the details of the outfit are what make it look like it’s from a boutique or a discount store.

It is possible for an outfit to look like it is much more expensive than it is, if the person wearing it knows how to utilize the proper accessories. Bearing this in mind, here are 12 ways to make you outfits look more expensive than they actually are:

Designer Shoes

The shoes that you wear with your outfit are either going to make it look like it cost thousands more than it did, or make it look like something you found on a sale rack. The key to making your outfit look more expensive is to invest in designer shoes.

An example that I would suggest is to buy some classic designer shoes that are black and made out of leather. This is an ideal pick that goes with most outfits and dresses them up, if need be. Some recommended brands would be Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci or even a newcomer such as Tory Burch.

Wearing shoes of this quality will make a $5 dress appear as if it was $200. Additionally, shoes of this quality last for roughly seven years. Thus, if you add up the cost of all of the inferior shoes you would have to replace in those seven years, you will quickly realize that the designer shoes are worth the investment in more ways than one.

Add a Belt

Just like adding a pair of designer shoes, adding a belt that is of superior quality than your outfit is a spectacular way to make your outfit more expensive. A belt can be added to your average pair of jeans, an evening gown, your suit for work or in the middle of a casual solid colored dress for an accent piece.

In addition, if you choose a leather belt, it will automatically make your outfit look more sophisticated and polished. By coordinating the color of the belt with your designer shoes, your outfit will instantly look more expensive.

Invest in an Expensive Handbag or Clutch

This is an important secret to making any $5 dress look like it is $200. The secrete is in your handbag. Granted, there are many different price points to handbags; however, there are several established classics that can greatly enhance your look.

The key is to not buy the designer bag that has its brand imprinted all over it. In fact, the opposite is what is going to make your outfit look expensive. For example, if you buy a Gucci bag that is leather and merely has their signature horse bit on it rather than the pattern of your brand, your outfit is going to look much more expensive.

The reason for this is that many people try to make a statement with brand prints that they have more than they do. Those who truly can buy those brand buy the solid leather bags and the like because of the quality and those who have a trained eye know their outfit is more expensive than the rest.

Use Costume Jewelry Sparingly

This is an important one due to the recent trend of costume jewelry. The way to make your outfit look more expensive comes from wearing traditional gold and silver pieces with gems rather than over dramatized costume jewelry. While there are some costume jewelry pieces that are an exception to this, the vast majority are too tacky to make your outfit look more expensive.

Get a Manicure and Pedicure

If you are going to be wearing designer sandals, then paint your toenails. The key is to make your appearance finished and polished to dress up your outfit. This principle also includes your nails.

Thus, be sure to paint both your nails and toes in order to ensure the best possible look with your outfit. That being said, be sure to avoid gel nails that have classless symbols on the nail. This automatically will make your outfit look far more inexpensive than it actually is.

Invest in Designer Sunglasses

Sunglasses are a key accessory to make your outfit look more expensive. Additionally, you will likely be wearing them every single day, which is why you should invest in a nice pair that will not only turn heads, but will also not break. The ideal color to invest in is a solid black or a brown tortoise shell print to make your outfit look the most expensive.

Choose Your Outerwear Wisely

For those that live in colder climates, your outerwear is all that you have to make a statement all season when you are freezing. Thus, it is important to own at least seven different coats that serve as accent pieces to your outfits.

Given that there are truly seven different types of cold weather that one has to dress for, the coats purchased can add a spice to your outfit that is much needed in the depressing months of winter.

The best way to use these coats to make your outfit look more expensive is to purchase a nicer coat at the end of winter for next year. This will add a higher quality coat to your look and make your outfit more expensive.

Leather Boots

In both autumn and winter, leather boots are a must. Adding leather boots to jeans, skirts, suits, and dresses is a sure way to make your outfit look quite chic and expensive. Usually, you should be spending $200 or more on your boots to ensure that they are of the proper quality. By doing this, you will be adding a great deal of sophistication to your outfit on an accessory that can be used almost everyday in autumn and winter.

Scarf and Glove Sets

There are a plethora of scarf and glove sets that are available on the market. By selecting one from a designer brand, it is quite easy to make your outfit look more expensive and brighten the colors of your outfit at the same time. If you choose cashmeres, you will also make your outfit look much more expensive and will be far warmer during winter at the same time.

Iron Your Clothes

This is a small detail that many outfit wearers miss. If you have an expensive shirt and you do not iron it, it may as well be a $5 shirt. It is imperative that you have your clothes ironed and dry cleaned in order to make them look the most expensive.

Furthermore, it is imperative to wash and have your shirt dry cleaned every time you wear it. By failing to do this, you are making your outfit look far less expensive.

Take Care of Your Outfits

If your outfit has a hole in the stitching, have the hole repaired. If the hole is too large to fix, then get rid of the piece of the clothing. Having clothing that is not properly hemmed or repaired is one of the major causes of having an outfit that looks less expensive than it should.

Thus, be sure to be diligent about this and do not be afraid to throw away a piece of clothing that is too worn. By doing this, you will increase the value of the appearance of your outfit substantially.

Learn How to Apply Your Makeup Properly

Applying makeup correctly is a very important part of making your outfit look more expensive. If you have been wearing eye shadow, lipstick or rouge that is too strong, you will look like you do not have expensive clothes.

The key is to showcase your natural beauty with makeup that highlights your best features, rather than hides them. Furthermore, be mindful of your hair color.

Having natural hair colors such as red, blonde, and brunette is an easy way to make your overall outfit look more expensive. By doing this, you will possess a natural elegance that automatically translates to your clothing as well.